Thread: blacking

i'd like to restore the blacking on the tangs of a few razors i have (and possible black a few for fun). Awhile back a similar post about blueing said you can get the stuff you need from a gunshop. is a gunshop the place to go for the stuff for blacking?

Mate... any decent gunshop or www.brownells.com

Brownells are suppliers for gunsmiths

For bluing (or blacking) gun metal the best stuff i have found is a liquid product made by "outers"
There is also a paste which is pretty popular but i have always had better results from the outers liquid.

Or... if you have the time and patience I can tell you how to do it in the traditional method
Much like Holland & Holland or Purdy used to do it in London. But it does take a long time to do (about a month)

Greg Frazer

thanks for the offer, but i don't jave that kind of patience. the paste is what i was after and just wanted to know where to get it. thanks for the reply

Not a problem mate... no one has that kind of patience.

A month is for a whole gun, but a razor would still take 2 weeks +
You have to treat the mental, let it rust, treat it again etc

Greg Frazer

A guy whose opinion I trust speaks very highly of the Blue Wonder products. I've used some of the Brownell's cold blue solution in the past with only fair results - haven't tried this new stuff yet but will use it the next time I have to blue or blacken something.

Originally Posted by Greg Frazer

Not a problem mate... no one has that kind of patience.

A month is for a whole gun, but a razor would still take 2 weeks +
You have to treat the mental, let it rust, treat it again etc

Greg Frazer

Ok my interest is totally piqued, would you mind explaining the method anyway, even though Eric has no patience?

Originally Posted by bgertz

Ok my interest is totally piqued, would you mind explaining the method anyway...

Love to mate...

You need to make a solution of:

300ml Nitric Acid
250ml Hydrocloric Acid
750ml Demineralised (Distilled) Water
750gr Raw Iron Powder (or shavings)

And I mean raw iron... not steel. This could involve getting a chunk of iron and drilling dozens of holes in it to collect the shavings or taking to it with a heavy bastard file to reduce it to powder... that will keep you off the streets for a while.

1. Mix the acids, very very carefully in a resistant container then add the iron and allow to disolve... keep adding the iron until no more will disolve then add the water. Decant this through some kind of filter into black (has to be light proof) bottle/s. Allow to stand for 24-48hrs.

2. Heat some demin water to slow boiling an suspend the workpiece in it... when your happy that the metal is around the temperature of the water remove it and allow to air dry... the heat will speed and complete this process.

3. Swab on the solution making sure to get good even coverage of the steel... then hang the work somewhere to dry... leave for 24-48hrs

4. When you return the steel will have a lovely coat of bright orange oxide

5. Boil the water again and suspend the workpiece in it for 15 - 20min, you'll actually see the work turning black...

6. Remove the work and rub all over the 00 or 000 steel wool, removing all the oxide... you'll notice that the steel remains grey or blue when the oxide is removed.

7. Repeat this process until the workpiece is evenly and deeply coloured... this can take 5, 6 or more treatments (hence the 2 or 3 weeks for a whole gun and all its parts)

8. Once the desired depth of colour has been achieved suspend the piece in a pot of heated oil and allow to soak for a few minutes then remove and allow to hang for 24-48hrs... then wipe the piece dry... finished!!

It is critical that the steel be de-greased completely at every stage of the process and that no contaminate be introduced or you can quickly be sent back to step 1.

Once finished though, the "bluing" will form a protective skin that is actually integral with the parent metal... under all but the most abusive conditions is should no longer be able to rust.

Certainly economics played the greatest part in the introduction of chemical or salt bluing in gun production but I know that Purdy still use this process on their custom guns... remember their basic side by side fowling pieces start at 25,000 pounds (british) and go up dramatically from there.

It was Purdy that made the motto "if you need to ask the price, you can't afford it" famous, there is still a plaque with that statement hanging in their foyer at their Old Bond Street studio.

Modern bluing is "good enough" but you'll see the difference in this "slow-rust" method immediately.. the colour is deep and rich and very pleasing to the eye.

Please let me know if any of the steps are unclear...

Greg Frazer

excellent post Greg !

(corr. Purdey)

Thanks Yannis... i remember what you were saying about your role in the Athens olympics...

You'd know better than me about Purdy and their proclivities

Greg Frazer

Originally Posted by Greg Frazer

Thanks Yannis... i remember what you were saying about your role in the Athens olympics...

You'd know better than me about Purdy and their proclivities

Greg Frazer

Oh yes but unfortunately I have not any of these beauties (H&H or Purdeys)